DOST S&T fellows mark five years of turning expertise into national solutions

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) marked five years of innovation and excellence as it celebrated the milestones and contributions of its Science and Technology (S&T) Fellows during the S&T Fellows Convention held at The Bellevue Hotel Manila.

Since its establishment in 2021, the S&T Fellows Program has engaged 84 science, technology, and innovation experts who have been deployed across DOST’s research and development institutes, councils, collegiate advisory bodies, and regional offices. Of these, 51 Fellows remain actively engaged across DOST institutions, contributing their expertise to various research, development, and innovation initiatives.

In his keynote speech, DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. highlighted the significant contributions of the Fellows over the past five years.

“Five years ago, we started with a simple need: to strengthen DOST’s scientific and technical capability by bringing expertise where it is needed most. Today, our Fellows have transformed that expertise into projects, technologies, policies, partnerships, and opportunities—turning knowledge into action and challenges into possibilities. They have not only solved problems; they have opened doors for others to innovate, collaborate, and create.”

The S&T Fellows Program is part of DOST’s efforts to strengthen the country’s pool of research experts and build its human capital and research capacity—key components of the Human Capital and Research pillar of the Global Innovation Index (GII).

The Philippines ranked 52nd in the 2026 Global Innovation Index, as announced by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations.

DOST Undersecretary for R&D Leah J. Buendia emphasized the role of the S&T Fellows in strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem.

“The S&T Fellows Program can help address the decline in innovation inputs by bringing the Fellows’ expertise to government research and development initiatives and expanding the country’s pool of highly skilled human resources,” said Buendia. “Fellows also have the opportunity to lead R&D projects that leverage local resources and strengths, helping develop homegrown technologies that respond to industry needs.”

One of the event’s speakers, Engr. Mark Gino Alipero, is an S&T Fellow assigned at DOST PNRI who contributes expertise to policy, research, and technical discussions addressing national infrastructure and energy challenges. In his presentation, he discussed the Nuclear Plant Simulator & Analyzer Facility (NuSIM).  Officially introduced as part of the country’s broader energy strategy, NuSIM serves as a fundamental platform for capacity building, operational workforce preparation, and advanced engineering simulations.

Another presenter is Dr. Maria Theresa Cabaraban is an expert in environmental engineering, waste management, waste-to-energy, biohydrogen via microbial electrolysis, and local decision-support tools like the  Smart Waste-to-Energy Evaluation and Planning for Cagayan de Oro City (SWEEP CDOC).

For health research, the event featured the work of S&T Fellows Dr. Noel Salvoza, which looks at the interaction between dengue and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD. It also examines the safety of lipid nanoparticle-based vaccine platforms in individuals with compromised liver function.  The project brings together disease modeling, dengue research, lipid nanoparticle development, and the study of hepatic and immune responses.

During the event, it was highlighted that S&T Fellows go beyond laboratory research, and play a vital role in shaping national policy. A prime example is the enactment of the Virology and Vaccine Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Law.

S&T Fellows from ITDI, PCHRD, and NAST were instrumental in advocating for the bill and drafting its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). Combining their multidisciplinary expertise, they laid the groundwork for this milestone institution—and several Fellows continue to serve on the transition team to ensure the VIP becomes fully operational.

To know more about the work of S&T Fellows or if you wish to apply, you can visit the S&T Fellows Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DOST.STFellows/